GERO NOTES social support instrumental support tangible aid emotional support relationship qualities caring companionship advice Af rmation knowledge one s beliefs are similar to others different network members provide deff types of support Social Convoy Innermost circle closest ties family close friends middle circle less close relationships extended family friends outermost circle acquaintances networks Women larger networks receive support greater relationship burden Men smaller networks wife primary con dant less support from friends Size of network decrease with age little change is the quality of support received members of network change why fewer social roles ie retirement death distance Why do we engage in relationships knowledge focused to acquire knowledge of the social world ex potential partners career emotion focused regulate emotion maintain intimacy Perception of time predicts which social goals individuals actively pursue see time as expansive future oriented pursue knowledge focused goals desire large varied networks see time as limited affection info advice transportation assistance nances healthcare present oriented pursue emotion focused goals highly selective network Bene ts of social relationships provide critical resources important for mental and physical well being having social supports helps live longer social partners in uence health behaviors encourages support Coping with life events buffer us from stress reduce problem behaviors critical for avoiding institutionalism Negative relationship effects consider overlap between 2 diagrams close relationships also source of intense negative feelings excessive support unwarranted dependancy in uence negative health behaviors negative social interactions damaging to health more profound effect on health than positive exchanges relationships can also be a source of stress informal support friends is later life friendships important at every age valued network members often overlooked voluntary tie often higher quality relationships source of pleasure and satisfaction provide emotional support practical advice comfort and companionship older adults spend more time w friends positive friend support better health mental health THE EMPTY NEST myth or reality Reality of empty nest parent s are depressed when children leave home generally a positive time greater freedom and opportunity satisfaction increases privacy time together other factors e g poor marital quality contribute to negative effects Do all nests stay empty boomerang children Who comes back never married separated or divorce nancial crisis What makes a successful marriage commitment intimacy balance w autonomy communication effective con ict management Issues in long term marriage chronic disease family caregiving responsibilities loss of loved one Marriage in later life marital satisfaction peaks in late adulthood why more time together less stress less con ict increased fairness greater emotional understanding Gay and lesbian partnerships long term partnerships sustained in period of hostility and discrimination most in happy ful lling relationships good health effecting coping with changes of late life exible gender roles Midlife and late life divorce why do people divorce in later life men lack of shared interests women emotional distance poor communication implications of late life divorce often more traumatic related to opportunities for remarriage nancial implications particularly for women The Dating Game little research rates tend to decline w age women less likely to date than men focus on companionship and intimacy increased options from changing sexual attitudes internet dating pharmaceuticals Remarriage why low rates in late adulthood women probability of remarriage decreases w age often more stable than remarriage at younger ages Cohabitating seniors reasons seniors cohabit maintain autonomy protect adult child tax disincentives loss of military and pension bene ts fear of incurring liability for partner s medical expenses credit rating protection separation of current debt sibiling relationships longest lasting maintain contact sisters are closer in general siblings midlife become closer in response to major life events con icts over caring for their aging parents later life grandparents slblings are support in time of crisis more contact for widowed or never married 3 4 of ppl become grandparents by 65 role has changed in recent decades more positive and close than in past Pro le of Caregiving parent prefer same sex caregivers spouses are often primary caregivers next adult offspring speci cally women over 75 for every person in a nursing home 2 elderly cared for by family caregiving lasts 5 7 years or more spend 6 10 hours or as much as 35 hrs wk informal caregiving 2 3 of caregivers married under 35 28 36 49 29 50 64 26 providing health assistance to relatives or friends who are unable to provide for themselves 50 employed full time Spouses transition to caregiving most stressful when one spouse has Alzheimers marital intimacy household tasks husbands social integration psychological well being reverberates across family relationships adult children experience stress when areas of change Transition to caring for a parent gender differences in caregiving daughters provide more hours of care than sons daughters and sons perform different tasks sons nance chores why do women provide more care caregiving as part of gendered division of labor related to earning potential parent is demanding critical lack support from other fam daughters hands on 1 3 employed full time or part time work and caregiving Alzheimers disease most common cause of dementia gradual steady deterioration personality changes apathy early impairment in memory and new learning later lose ability to perform tasks of daily life family caregiving pros and cons long term care remains a fam responibility no laws mandate fam care in US ongoing debate primary aging unavoidable inevitable secondary aging experienced by most not all function of disease disuse abuse BIological Theories of Aging Why do we age Wear and Theory Autoimmune Theory aging occurs b c of the system wearing out over time Aging function of reduction in collagen causing loss of elasticity in organ systems Aging is function of body s immune system becoming defective producing antibodies against itself Aging occurs as cells slow their number of replications based on observations that cells grown in